Jobbie Nooner stirs up economic benefits

Jobbie Nooner has developed a reputation in recent years as a free-for-all featuring nudity and excessive drinking but law enforcement authorities and some elected officials say the image may be overblown.

There’s no doubt the unsanctioned boating party at Gull Island in the Muscamoot Bay area of Lake St. Clair near Harsens Island is a little rowdy and for adults only, but overall, it’s one of the most popular summer events in the tri-county area.

“Actually, it’s been going fairly smoothly in the past few years,” said Lt. Paul Reid of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol.

The island is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers but falls under the jurisdiction of Clay Township. Because Jobbie Nooner attracts thousands of boaters, law enforcement is provided by a number of agencies including U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, St. Clair County Sheriff’s, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Macomb County Sheriff’s Marine Patrol, New Baltimore Police Marine Patrol, and Clay Township police.

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Reid said the number of arrests made in 2012 were down from the previous year. Most involved assault and intoxicated skippers.

“Our biggest concerns are people exposing themselves and the biggest hazard is drunken people operating boats,” he said. “We also have alcohol fueling fights and disagreements, so our top priority is to keep the peace.”

Law enforcement’s goal is to assure area channels are safe and open to the boating public. The weather forecast is calling for a high of 77 degrees and a 60 percent chance of rain, which may deter some from heading out. Others may go and camp out on the island for the weekend.

Gull Island was created by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers while dredging canals for ship traffic. The sand dug up was dumped near Harsens Island and eventually became an island.

Jobbie Nooner started around 1980 by some autoworkers who took a skip day at noon and headed out to the lake to party. It typically attracts up to 5,000 boaters.

That’s a lot of fuel, beer and food that needs to be purchased, an economic spin-off that benefits lakeside gas suppliers and party stores.

“We do get a little bang from it,” said Clay Township Supervisor Artie Bryson. “Some of our party stores and gas stations get busy. I know Champion’s Auto Ferry does some business. I think we as a community have learned to tolerate the commotion because we’re a boating community, and boaters are friendly people.”

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, who has included Jobbie Nooner in some of his presentations promoting Lake St. Clair, agreed. Quoting county planners, he said the event equates to about $500,000 in economic benefits to the boating industry.